On the earliest opening day since 1994, Mammoth Mammoth celebrated by giving out free lift tickets. So what if half the population of California showed up? At least you could ski top-to-bottom corn off Chair 23 in mid-October.

While technically inbounds, Estelle Bowl feels as close to backcountry as you can get at a ski resort. Ride the Summit Six chair, then take the ridgeline traverse to the north past two other bowls to reach Estelle, which offers sheltered north-facing trees, wide-open powder shots, and 45-degree spines.